Where do Carolina Panthers stand in crowded NFC playoff race after 3 straight wins?

We are almost halfway through the NFL's 2025 regular season schedule. Usually at this point in the year we'd begin seriously looking at the order of picks for next year's draft and seeing where the Carolina Panthers stand and who they might target in the first round.

For what it's worth, they're currently on pace to pick 16th in the draft - but for the first time in six years this team is still in the playoff hunt at the midway point of the season.

So, where do they stand after winning three straight and four of their last five? Let's review the latest NFC standings.

NFC Playoff picture - Week 8

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers* (5-1)

2. Green Bay Packers (4-1-1)

3. San Francisco 49ers (5-2)

4. Philadelphia Eales (5-2)

5. Los Angeles Rams (5-2)

6. Seattle Seahawks* (4-2)

7. Detroit Lions* (4-2)

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8. Chicago Bears (4-2)

9. Carolina Panthers (4-3)

10. Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1)

11. Atlanta Falcons (3-3)

12. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)

13. Washington Commanders (3-4)

14. Arizona Cardinals (2-5)

15. New York Giants (2-5)

16. New Orleans Saints (1-6)

*The Buccaneers, Lions and Seahawks all have Monday night games, so this picture may yet shift before this week is over.

That being said, you can see how competitive this race is. Even with the Commanders and Vikings falling off from last season the NFC is so tough that the Lions are barely on pace to make the playoffs right now - and they were by far the best team in the league last year before they got decimated by injuries.

Chicago has won four in a row, but it would be a surprise if they don't drop off in the second half of the season, so we could see Carolina rise into that eighth spot down the stretch. However, this team is clearly inferior to all of the seven teams that are in line for a playoff spot right now.

Long story short, the Panthers are much improved, but they still have a long way to go before we can really get excited about a playoff run.

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